Raspberries work well - but other berries can also be used like strawberries, blueberries or blackberries. There has been a shortage of raspberries in Los Angeles for the past week. That is why this pretty photo is place holding for the finished tart photo. I hope you make this delicious tart (and use the berry of your choice) please post your photo.

Hello Bakers,

The companion recipe to today's Ingredient Function Friday is a chocolate pate sucree made with dutch process cocoa powder. It makes enough dough for a 9" - 11" tart. If you make a 9" you will have a little dough let to roll out for cookies. This recipe has a little almond meal in it which makes it stable and adds a buttery almond flavor.

Please watch the episode on cocoa powder. Click on the "Ingredient Function Friday" tab at the top of the page. Cocoa can be a challenging ingredient and what you need to know is covered in the clip. I hope you enjoy making this tart - it's a great excuse to break that tart pan out of the cupboard. The white chocolate pastry cream is delicious. There are two video tutorials on pastry cream in the recipe - there are a few points in the process where it can be challenging - but if you read through the recipe and then watch the clips it will become very clear.

4. Add sifted dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Stop the mixer and scrape down if necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

5. Temper in half the hot milk and then quickly pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pot.

6. Using the whisk as spoon stir gently over medium heat and then as the mixture thickens – and whisk until smooth.

7. Remove from heat. Add the butter and the white chocolate.

8. Pour on to lined sheet tray or place bowl on top of ice bath. Keep plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream. If cooling over an ice bath make sure that your stir it every few minutes so that it cools down more quickly.

1. Combine the pears, wine, sugar, and chosenspices in a saucepan. Add enough water to coverthe pears and spices. Method

the refrigerator for future use)

Roll out and bake the crust. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 - 7 minutes to warm up. Sprinkle the work surface with flour, place dough on floured surface, sprinkle with flour and roll until the dough is about 1/8" thick. Give the dough a 1/4 turn every time you roll back and forth and make sure it is not sticking. It needs to be able to move at all times. Once the dough is rolled out, use the rolling pin to lift it up and over the pan, drop the dough over the pan and then carefully press the dough into the pan. The dough needs to be right up against the side of the pan. Remove any excess dough off the top with your thumb. Wrap and chill dough for 2 hours or overnight. A 9" tart pan fits into a gallon size Ziploc bag. I am all about using less plastic and reuse my ziplocs until they can no longer be used.

Rolling out dough, the beginning

This is how it should look before dropping it into the pan.

In the pan.

After chilling line the tart pan with a half sheet of parchment paper that has been crumbled up (this helps it conform to the dough) and fill with your baking beans. Then bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes (place tart on a baking sheet) - check to make sure the sides are baked and then take the tart out of the oven, remove the beans and then put the tart back in the oven for 8-10 minutes to finish baking. The crust should look opaque and fully baked.

Once tart is cooled, melt 3 ounces of white chocolate and the spread onto the bottom of the tart pan. This will act as a moisture barrier. A thin layer of raspberry jam can also be used.

White chocolate painted bottom

Then remove pastry cream from refrigerator, place in the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and soften the pastry cream on low speed for 1 minute, then medium speed for 90 seconds. try not to over mix because the pastry cream can become too loose. It can also be softened in a bowl with a spatula. Spread on top of white chocolate - it should fill the tart.

Tart filled with white chocolate pastry cream

Decorate with raspberries (if they are available) or strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Then brush with apricot glaze made by: heating 6 ounces of apricot jam with 2 ounces of water until it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it liquify. Then cook gently until it has a light glaze consistency, strain and use. Leftover glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.